TheNewsGuru

Tag: Panel

  • #Sexformarks: UNILAG sets up panel to probe ‘randy’ lecturers

    The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has constituted a panel to probe Dr Boniface Igheneghu and Dr Samuel Oladipo for sexual harassment allegations.

    A statement by the Principal Assistant Registrar (Communication Unit), Mrs Taiwo Oloyede, also said Oladipo, of the Department of Economics, had been suspended.

    The panel, headed by Dean Faculty of Law, Ayodele Atsenuwa, would investigate the allegations of sexual harassment against the two lecturers exposed by a BBC Africa Eye documentary, Sex for Grades.

    The statement reads: “The UNILAG management has set up a panel, headed by Professor Ayodele V. Atsenuwa, a Professor of Public Law, Faculty of Law, UNILAG, and the incumbent Dean of the Faculty.

    “The panel will probe into the allegations of sexual harassment levelled against Dr. Boniface Igbeneghu of the Department of European Languages and Integrated Studies, Faculty of Arts and Dr. Samuel Oladipo of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, as well as other related cases.

    “As previously announced in the university’s statement, dated Monday, October 7, 2019, Dr. Samuel Oladipo, who was featured in the full version of the BBC broadcast, has been suspended from work with immediate effect and barred from the university’s academic areas until conclusion of the panel’s assignment.”

    The statement added that a pending investigation against another unnamed lecturer was still on, urging students with information to come forward.

    “The university wishes to inform the general public that the panel set up to investigate another allegation of sexual harassment involving a professor in the university in June, 2018, still subsists and awaits further information that will aid in concluding the investigation.

    “Students and members of staff who have relevant information are encouraged to come forward.”

    “Their protection is assured.

    “We firmly reassure all our students, staff, alumni, parents and guardians that this matter will be tackled with every sense of responsibility, and the seriousness it deserves. The whole process will be transparent and appropriate sanctions will be meted out to anyone found culpable,” the statement said.

  • Oyo: Makinde inaugurates panel to probe Ajimobi’s contracts

    Oyo: Makinde inaugurates panel to probe Ajimobi’s contracts

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has inaugurated a committee to probe contracts awarded by the administration of Senator Abiola Ajimobi.
    The inaugurated 10-man committee, headed by the Chairman, Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Oyo State chapter, Mr. Damola Falade-Fatila, is to review contracts and projects awarded by the Ajimobi’s government between 2017 and 2019.
    The committee has a four weeks duration to carry out the assignment.
    Makinde conducted the inauguration at the Executive Chamber of the Governor’s Office, Agodi Secretariat in the company of top government functionaries, including, the Chief of Staff, Chief Bisi Ilaka, the Head of Service, Mrs. Amidat Agboola, Director General, Due Process Ms Tara Adefowope, Deputy Chief of Staff Mr. Mojeed Ajibola, Executive Assistance (Admin) Reverend Idowu Ogedengbe, Special Adviser (Legislative Matters) Mr. Ademola Adejumobi, Special Adviser (Media) Mr. Jide Ajani, Chief Press Secretary Mr. Taiwo Adisa, among others.
    Conducting the inauguration, the governor said the committee was meant to examine the status of some of the ongoing contracts to ascertain if they were justifiably tied to the socio-economic development of the state.
    Makinde, who noted that some contractors were making claims on ongoing projects, added that the committee was to examine if the costs of contracts awarded were appropriate, and examine if the contractors were capable enough to deliver the contract in terms of quality and scheduled time.
    Falade-Fatila assured the governor that the committee will not disappoint the people of the state.
    The members of the committee include Mr. Seun Adelore, Dr. Idowu Oyeleke, Mr. F. O Omokemi (Cabinet Governor’s Office) and Mr. A. Popoola (Ministry of Finance and Budget).
    Others are Mrs. M. Adeshina (Office of the Head of Service), Mr. A Olabiyi (Ministry of Justice), Mr. S. Ogunjimi (Bureau of Public Procurement), Mr. T. Oduniyi (Office of the Auditor-General for State) and Mr. O. Popoola (Office of the Head of Service).

  • Court sets up three-member panel to review Dasuki’s trial

    A Federal Capital Territory High Court has set up a three-member panel to resolve the logjam arising from the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki for alleged money laundering charges.

    Dasuki is being tried alongside Aminu Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital.

    The three-member panel headed by Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf is to proffer a way forward for the court in the dilemma being encountered by the court in the trial.

    Dasuki who had been in detention of the State Security Service (SSS) since December 2015 despite about six court orders that granted him bails, had written to the Federal High Court. In the letter, he said he would no longer appear for trial in protest against violation of court orders by the federal government which put him on trial.

    The letter was sent to the Federal High Court through his legal team. In it, Dasuki made it abundantly clear that the federal government has lost both moral and legal right to continue to prosecute him having deliberately violated subsisting and valid court orders.

    In the strongly worded letter, the former NSA claimed that the federal government has proved beyond reasonable doubt it has no respect for the rule of law.

    At the resumed trial on Friday, at FCT High Court, counsel to federal government, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, informed Justice Baba-Yusuf that the matter was for the continuation of trial and that he was ready to proceed. He, however, said that a fresh motion on notice just filed by the defendant had been served on him and that he needed time to study the direction of the motion and then respond appropriately.

    Atolagbe subsequently pleaded with the judge to grant him a short adjournment.

    The counsel to Dasuki, Victor Okwudili, had admitted that a motion was served on the prosecution and that the motion ought to be decided one way or the other before the trial could continue. He, however, did not object to the request for an adjournment by the prosecution.

    Solomon Umoh, and a counsel to the second defendant, Aminu Baba-Kusa, had faulted the claim of the federal government that the former NSA deliberately refused to appear in court for trial.

    The senior lawyer argued that that the blame for Mr Dasuki’s absence in court, should appropriately shifted to the federal government for using one hand in holding Dasuki in its custody illegally, and at the same time using the second hand beckoning on the same Mr Dasuki to appear in court.

    Umoh therefore, agreed that the issue surrounding Mr Dasuki’s decision not to be in court should first be resolved before the trial could proceed.

    Justice Baba-Yusuf in his ruling agreed that the issue must be resolved in the interest of justice to both parties. He, therefore, put in place a three-member panel that would proffer solution for the way forward for the court.

    Apart from Baba-Yusuf who is presiding, others in the panel are Valentine Ashi and Mary-Ann Anenih, both judges of the FCT High Court.

    Baba-Yusuf, therefore, adjourned the matter till February 19, 2019.

    During his tenure as the National Security Adviser in the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, Dasuki had reinvigorated and facilitated the expansion of troops of Multi-national Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) with neighbouring Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger towards combating the dreaded Boko Haram insurgency.

    Dasuki also facilitated collaboration with foreign technical advisers towards ensuring the recovery of several major towns in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states from Boko Haram terrorists. Some of the liberated towns, during his tenure included: Abadam, Askira, Baga, Bama, Bara, Buni Yadi, Damboa, Dikwa, Gamboru-Ngala, Goniri, Gujba, Gulag, Gulani, Gwoza, Hong, Kala Balge, Konduga, Kukawa, Marte, Madagali, Michika, Monguno, Mubi, Vimtim among others.

    However shortly after leaving office, the federal government filed charges against him in different courts. He was granted bail in line with the provisions of the law but has remained in detention since December 2015. This prompted him to write the Federal High Court in Abuja where he is being prosecuted for charges of illegal possession of firearms and money laundering, requesting that he be allowed to stop submitting himself for trial.

    He based his request on the federal government’s continued refusal to comply with a series of court orders granting him bail. He cited six court orders, including one by the Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States, which had ordered his release but were ignored by the federal government.

     

  • Alleged false asset declaration: CCT constitutes panel to try CJN Onnoghen

    The Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has raised a panel to try Nigeria’s Chief Justice, Walter Onnoghen, who is accused of lying in his asset declaration.

    The tribunal on Saturday announced that corruption charges had been raised against Mr Onnoghen and the trial will commence on Monday.

    TNG gathered that the case is built on a petition filed by a civil society group, Anti-Corruption and Research Based Data Initiative.

    The petition dated January 7, 2019, accuses Mr Onnoghen of managing several accounts through which has been making transfers of local and foreign currencies in “a manner inconsistent with financial accuracy,” the petition signed by the group’s executive secretary, Denis Aghanya, said.

    In its statement, the CCT said the trial “was consequent to application filed by the Code of Conduct Bureau to the CCT Chairman yesterday for the trial to commence against the Chief Justice of Nigeria on six count charges”.

    “The application was filed yesterday by the operatives of CCB, dated 11st January, 2019 and signed by Musa Ibrahim Usman (Esq) and Fatima Danjuma Ali (Esq), containing 6 count charges all borders on non declaration of asset,” a statement signed by Ibraheem Al-Hassan, head of press and public relations of CCT, said.

    A three-member panel led by Justice Danladi Umar will commence the trial on Monday at its courtroom, situated at the headquarter, along Jabi Daki Biyu, Saloman Lar way, Abuja, at about 10:00 a.m.

  • Buhari’s assets recovery panel cannot prosecute, seize properties of suspects – Court rules

    The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has voided the powers of the Presidential Panel on Assets Recovery to prosecute alleged offenders or obtain forfeiture orders for assets belonging to fraud suspects.

    A five-member panel of the appellate court, led by Hussein Muhktar, ruled that the panel is not empowered to approach the court with any application, relating to the prosecution of a suspect investigated by the panel.

    The judgement followed a request by a civil servant, working with the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, Tijani Tumsah, whose assets were seized, following a court order. The court order was from a case brought to the high court by the presidential panel.

    In a reaction to the court order, Tumsah approached the appellate court, through his lawyer, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

    Ogunwumiju confirmed the judgement on Monday in an interview with Premium Times

    According to the lawyer, the appeal court ruled that the act establishing the presidential panel does not confer prosecutory powers of any kind to the panel.

    “The Recovery of Public Property (Special Provisions) Act does not confer any prosecutorial powers on the SPIP.

    “The powers conferred on the SPIP under the Act is limited to investigation and cannot prosecute under the Act or under the EFCC Act or any other Act.

    “The SPIP, upon conclusion of investigation can only submit its report to the President.

    “The SPIP cannot obtain forfeiture orders from any court whatsoever,” the lawyer said of the court ruling.

    Ogunwumiju also said the court’s view of forfeiture orders obtained by the panel is that the presidential panel was usurping the position of the Attorney General of the Federation.

    “The SPIP cannot exercise the powers of the Attorney General of the Federation or the Chairman of the EFCC.

    “The court has inherent powers to set aside an interim order of forfeiture

    “The SPIP cannot act outside its enabling Statute,” Ogunwumiju said in statement highliting the details of Monday’s judgement.

    “Based on this decision of the Court of Appeal, the SPIP can no longer continue seizing properties of public officers, detention of private citizens and filing charges against citizens in court. The powers of the SPIP, according to the court, is now limited to investigation and submission of its report to the President. The SPIP cannot apply for forfeiture of properties or file a charge against any person in court,” Ogunwumiju added.

  • BREAKING: Omo-Agege, Ndume appear before investigative panel on senate invasion [Photos]

    Delta Central senator, Ovie Omo-Agege, on Tuesday honoured the invitation of an ad-hoc committee drafted to investigate the incident of the chamber invasion.

    The committee was set up by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    Ali Ndume, another senator invited by the committee, was also in attendance Tuesday afternoon.

    Mr Omo-Agege was on sit as at 12:16 a.m. when the committee commenced the sitting while Mr Ndume walked in at about 12:20 a.m.

    The senators are expected to answer questions on their roles in the invasion of the Senate chamber last month.

    The Senate in April suspended Mr Omo-Agege for accusing his colleagues of working against President Muhammadu Buhari’s re-election plans in 2019. The senator made the accusation after his colleagues adopted the amendment to section 25 of Electoral Act outlining a change in the sequence of elections.

    A week after the suspension, hoodlums invaded the Senate carting away the mace, the Senate’s symbol of authority.

    The mace was later recovered by the police.

    The hoodlums are believed to have been led by Mr Omo-Agege, who has however, denied any wrongdoing.

    The committee in its first sitting invited the two senators after police witnesses mentioned them as culpable in the invasion and subsequent mace theft.

  • IG raises panel to probe alleged bribery in personnel promotion

    The Inspector-General of Police (IG), Ibrahim Idris, has set up a Special Investigation Panel to investigate complaints and petitions of alleged bribery by police officers for special promotion.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Isah Misau, in an interview granted to a newspaper report published on August 10, had alleged that police officers pay bribe for special promotion.

    The Force Spokesman, CSP Jimoh Moshood, in a statement in Abuja on Friday, said Mr. Misau had been invited by the panel to get more details to assist it to conduct a discreet investigation into the matter.

    According to Mr. Moshood, the panel among other responsibilities, is expected to investigate the allegations, other complaints, petitions and grievances from police officers within the Force and other members of the public.

    Others are to determine the substance of the complaints, petitions and grievances from aggrieved police officers and members of the public on allegations of giving money for special promotion.

    The panel is to also determine those involved in the matter, recommend appropriate judicial action and other punishments appropriate in line with the provisions of Public Service Rules Section 030401 (j) (k) and other statutory enabling laws/Acts.

    The Panel is to submit its reports to the Inspector-General of Police within two weeks.

    Mr. Moshood urged police officers and members of the public to send their complaints and petitions to the following phone numbers, WhatsApp and email: 08054904443, 08035896648, 08181895582 JOYJUDEJOSHUAH@YAHOO.COM for success of the investigation.

     

     

    (NAN)

  • SGF, NIA Probe: Osinbajo panel to submit report Wednesday

    SGF, NIA Probe: Osinbajo panel to submit report Wednesday

    Barring any last minute change of plans, the Presidential committee investigating suspended Secretary General of the Federation, SGF, Babachir Lawal and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, NIA, Ayo Oke, would submit its finding tomorrow (Wednesday).

    The Minister of Justice and Attorny-General of the Federation, AGF, Abubkar Malami who is a member of the panel headed by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo dropped the hints on Tuesday.

    He spoke to State House correspondents after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa, Abuja.

    He, however, refused to speak on whether the committee would yield to the calls of not making the report public, saying “it will be preemptive”, as the committee’s 14 days life span is yet to elapse.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had set up a three-man Committee comprising the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, and the National Security Adviser, headed by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to conduct investigations into allegations leveled against Lawal and Oke.

    The Committee is to submit its report to the President within 14 days.